The Saxon metalwork collection is nationally important and includes three swords, about 20 spearheads and four shield bosses from the Mitcham Pagan Saxon Cemetary. The museum also holds a 10th century log boat and a collection of silver pennies representing the reigns of the seven kings thought to have been crowned at Kingston.

During the Anglo-Saxon/Englisc era Watchet became a town of importance enough to have its own mint. As the Danes forced inroads into Wessex, many towns provided greater security by constructing fortifications known as burghs under Alfred and his sons.

Watchet became one of the ten important burghs of Wessex as it is listed in the Burghal Hideage, a document dated c 919 A.D.

“… and to Watchet belongs five hundred hides and thirteen hides. For the maintenance and defence an acres breadth of sixteen hides are required, if every hide is represented by 0ne man, then every pole of wall can be mounted by four men …”

We can calculate from this the length of wall around Watchet fortification c 919 A.D., as being 2,116 feet/645m. Each locality was responsible for the maintenance of its burgh as it was used by all as a refuge in times of trouble. Although we have documentary evidence for Viking raids on Watchet in the years 918 A.D., 977, 988 and 997, it may in actual fact have been more frequent as the Vikings used Steep Holm (hence the Scandinavian place name) to over-winter.

Excavations at Dawes Castle above Watchet suggest the burgh and its mint may have been sited there, but another site, at the south end of Swain Street, has also been put forward. Wherever it was located, the mint would have been sited within this fortifications.

Silver pennies were minted and the Museum is fortunate to have an original on display, along with various replica coins, with an interpretation of the minting process. Silver pennies from Watchet have been unearthed as afield as Scandinavia.

The establishment of the Saxon mint at Watchet drew the unwelcome attention of the Vikings, who staged several raids between 918 A.D., and 977 A.D. A re-enactment of a 988 raid was held at Watchet in 1998 to celebrate the town’s 1000 years of history – this was witnessed by huge crowds.

Hand-made replica coins are on sale within the Museum at £1.00p each.

Christianity came to Watchet and led to the establishment of St. Decuman’s Church, so dedicated probably in 1198, and is one of the largest and finest in West Somerset. Situated in a commanding position overlooking Watchet, it is this prominence which helped inspire Samuel Taylor Coleridge whilst staying with Wordsworth at the Bell Inn in 1797 with the first verses of the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, considered among the greatest works in English literature. As a tribute to this, the Market House Museum society commissioned a statue of the Ancient Mariner and this was erected on the Esplanade in 2003.

the date in which St. Decuman lived is uncertain – some say 400 A.D., others about 700 A.D., it is said he was a Welsh missionary who crossed the Bristol Channel with a cow on a wattle or hurdle and lived a hermit’s life near Watchet. Local legend has it that whilst praying one day a native came behind him and cut off his head, after which he raised himself up, took his head in his hands and carried it to the spring just below the present church. There he washed all traces of blood from his body and head before replacing it and then continued his prayers. The spot is now the Holy Well.

SAXONS AND VIKINGS

When the Romans left Britain in about 410 A.D., successive waves of invaders and settlers arrived mainly Saxons, Angles, Jutes and Frisians from North West Europe. Many of these had been displaced themselves by upheaval throughout Europe driven by the Huns.

Anglo-Saxon refers to these Germanic tribes who came to dominate English life and give the country it’s name derived from : Angle-land. Another legacy is the English language which is a hybrid formed from many languages and can be traced to the language of the invaders.

As the invaders settled across England strong kings began to dominate, forming the kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia and Wessex. The native Britons were pushed further south and west and in 577 A.D., the Saxons defeated the Britons in a battle at Deorham near Bath, advancing to the shores of the River Severn cutting off the Britons of wales from those of the south-west.

life was very difficult for the ‘Sumorsaetas and Defnseatas’ who held Somerset, Devon and Cornwall against the frequent attacks from the Saxons and it was in 682 A.D., that they were pushed back further with Bridgewater and Watchet being taken and by about 700 A.D., a fortress was established on the River Tone that became Taunton, Exmoor, Devon and Cornwall held out until 815 A.D., when king Ecgberht finally took control. (but it was not by conquest)

By the time Alfred the Great (871-899 A.D.) was the ruler of Wessex. Watchet had become an important Saxon port and the site of a Royal Mint, one of several in the region, Axbridge, Bath, Bruton, Taunton and Crewkemge among others. The first Saxon king to issue coinage from Watchet, the silver penny, was Aethelred II in addition to Canute, Harold, Harthacanut and Edward the Confessor also issued coins from there which have been found in collections in Stockholm and Copenhagen some having come from Viking hoards found in Jutland and Zealand. The site of the mint has not been found but Dawes Castel just to the west of Watchet is one possibility, more information about the coinage can be found in the Market House Museum.

The reason for this concentration of Anglo-Saxon money in Scandinavia is probably the Levying of Danegeld or tribute money by Vikings during these troubled times appear to substantiate this. The first recorded raid have was that of 918 A.D., which is mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and a more serious raid occurred in 977 A.D., The Vikings didn’t have things their own way however and many attacks were met with fierce fighting whereby many were slain. Legend has it the Battlegore in nearby Williton is the burial of Anglo-Saxon slain during Viking encounters but this has not been proved.

The last recorded raid on Watchet was 977 A.D., but it is probable that they lingered in the Bristol Channel for some years, holing up on Steepholm, Flatholm and Lundy island and one theory suggests that the Danes were actually allies of the Britons who were still battling against the Anglo-Saxons.

it is certain however that the evidence points to Watchet being a place of importance during the Anglo-Saxon conquest although little remains for the archaeologist to explore as the Saxons were poor builders! unlike the Romans before and the French-Normans who followed. (the Anglo-Saxons were adept at using wood for building as their homeland had massive forests but little stone so no doubt continued to work on what they were used to, but used stone for churches) Undoubtedly the small harbour was actually up into the river, where small ships and boats would have been worked, loading and unloading goods onto pack animals for the journey through the wooded countryside and over the Quantocks to the villages and towns of the interior, conquered Britons would perhaps have been working as slaves on the land and harbour side while in the remote parts of Exmoor and Dartmoor remnants of those British tribes would have been eking out an existence by hunting and primitive agriculture. Strong Celtic influences still exist in the south-west, particularly Cornwall where the Celtic language is still spoken, Cornwall before this was known as West Wales, as the west of Britain from Glasgow down through Strathclyde to Wales, then over to West Wales where British lived and then to Gaul which in time became known as Brittany/Little Britain with so many Britons migrating there caused by the pressure from the Anglo-Saxons and the plague.

There is an Anglo-Saxon/Englisc exhibition on the middle floor of the museum, Winchester at one time was capital of Wessex, later to be the capital of England before the French-Norman Conquest, having much within the exhibit displaying an important part of the foundation of England.

ADMISSION

Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

OPENING TIMES

Winter times – Tue – Sat 10.00 – 16.00hrs Sun 11.00 – 16.00hrs

Summer times – Tue – Sat 10.00 – 17.00hrs Sun 11.00 – 17.00hrs

GIFT SHOP

There is a gift shop within the museum.

TRANSPORT

There is plenty of bus services to the city and a train service direct on the mainline to London and Southampton.